


Awakening

by MrMissMrsRandom



Category: Fire Emblem: Seisen no Keifu | Fire Emblem: Genealogy of the Holy War
Genre: Freige holy bloods have interesting tells besides marks, Gen, Kiddos shouldn't play in thunderstorms but Ishtar is metal like that, Submission for Invincible: A Camus-Archetype zine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-11
Updated: 2018-08-11
Packaged: 2019-06-25 14:58:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15643119
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrMissMrsRandom/pseuds/MrMissMrsRandom
Summary: Ishtar always hated being left behind.





	Awakening

Ishtar loved her family. She loved her lord father and lady mother, her twin brother Ishtore, her aunt, and her cousin Tine. However, that did not mean she didn’t get frustrated with their decisions sometimes. The eight-year-old kicked her feet back and forth as she looked outside one of the high windows of the castle. Lord father and Ishtore had not yet returned from their hunting trip, lady mother was in a meeting, and her aunt had put Tine down for a nap.

Why didn’t they take her with them? She was older than Ishtore by an hour! She would have been fine. When the maids told her that it wasn’t proper for a young lady to witness the slaughter of animals, Ishtar nearly threw a tantrum. The science tutor had already gone over basic anatomy, and she had seen dead things before. It was ridiculous for them to think her squeamish. 

She stood up and walked away from the window down the hall to hers and Ishtore’s nursery. It was dark inside since there were no windows so it could be more “guarded.” From who or what, Ishtar didn’t know, save that it made outfits more confusing to pick out. She had told the maids she could pick her own for the past year or so unless there was a special event.

Ishtar took the shiny cloak with the velvet trim just in case it began to rain. Taking a moment to peek out from the nursery door, she surveyed her terrain. No servants or her mother about. Ishtar made quick strides down the hall and to the stairs and a beeline for the stables. She was close, so close, to completing her mission, but a voice stopped her in her tracks. 

“Lady Ishtar?” 

Ishtar halted and turned to find one of the younger of her Lord Father’s soldiers, Reinhardt, standing guard at one side of the staircase. 

Reinhardt gave the customary bow before looking back at her with confusion. “Where are you going, milady, if I might ask? Are you lost?” 

Ishtar stared at his face, willing her mind to think up the proper excuse. “Ishtore forgot something, so I decided to go bring it to him.” 

“I see,” Reinhardt nodded, opening the palm of his hand to her. “If you give it to me, I’m sure someone can go out and make sure he gets it.” 

Ishtar frowned. Her excuse didn’t work. She was forced into a corner.  “Well… He forgot me.” 

Reinhardt blinked, before reaching forward and giving her a pat on the head. It was nice, but Ishtar dreaded the suggestion that she go back to her room would come next. Instead, the soldier said:  “Well then, how about I go with you as your escort?” 

Ishtar smiled and nodded, before turning on the heel of her riding boots towards the stables. 

Ten minutes later, Ishtar was sitting on her dappled pony, Trude, with Reinhardt walking beside them. There were more clouds in the sky once they reached the surrounding hills, and Ishtar heard the faint rumble of thunder come from above. The pony whinnied in fear.

“I apologize milady, but perhaps it’s best that we return to the castle. The storm will be here before we reach the hunting party,” Reinhardt suggested. 

But Ishtar ushered Trude forward and beyond his hand’s reach. The thunder never scared her, especially not now. Rather, it felt like something inside her was urging her to answer back. She made it to the top of the hill and looked up towards the sky. There were flashes and crackles between the clouds, and she reached her hands out-

The sky flashed brightly as a shot of lightning came down on the top of the hill. Reinhardt heard the pony scream, then watched it charge down the hill towards him without its rider. Panic shot through him, and he began to sprint up the hill, calling out for Ishtar. What he saw there was something he would carry with him all his days.

Ishtar stood in a circle of scorched earth, unharmed. Her hair was standing on end and her whole body was bathed in a bright light. The smell of ozone and singed clothes cloyed the air in mixed scents. Then he heard the sound of more horses, as the hunting party came from the other side of the moorland. 

Later that night, Ishtar was sent to lord father’s study. Her hair was still frizzy and she could feel the charge of electricity at her fingertips. Try as she might, Ishtar knew she couldn’t truthfully ask for forgiveness, save for pardoning Reinhardt for his part in her scheme. 

She announced her presence with a faint knock. 

Lord Father answered. “Enter.” 

Ishtar inched the door open to find Lord Father not settled behind his desk, but instead standing beside with an unwrapped tome set down. He beckoned her forward, and as she drew closer, she saw that Mjolnir, the Holy Weapon of the Crusader Thrud, was nestled in the silk folds. 

“Ishtar, as the next master of Mjolnir, I thought it best for you to introduce yourself. Extend your hand.” 

Ishtar did as instructed, her fingers hovering over tome’s cover. It answered by opening for her without her ever touching it. Ishtar felt her heart soar, because this was a sign that she would never be left behind again. 


End file.
